How to play Machine Strike in Horizon Forbidden West?

Machine Strike is the main mini-game within Horizon Forbidden West for players to explore thoroughly. Chainscrape is the first settlement within the game with a station for it. There Salma, the gamekeeper, can teach players the basics of the game. Machine Strike has a lot of different factors for players to keep in mind as a sort of higher form chess.

The Basics of Machine Strike

Machine Strike is a mix of Risk and Chess. Different boards will contain different terrains that can be a boon or a detriment to the player, depending on the piece they use to traverse it. On top of this, different pieces within the game have a different amount of movement, combat power, health, victory points, weak points, and attack type. Because of this, it is an ultimate strategy game that may require some practice.

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Types of terrain & what they affect

• Chasm Terrain: Lowest terrain that is only accessible to flying machines. -2 Combat Power
• Marsh Terrain: Second lowest terrain that impedes movement after landing on it. -1 Combat Power
• Grassland Terrain: Level terrain with no impact.
• Forest Terrain: Up one level from Grassland, grants +1 Combat Power.
• Hill Terrain: Up one level from Forest, grants +2 Combat Power.
• Mountain Terrain: Highest level, grants +3 Combat Power.

All possible Machine Strike pieces & functions

Within Aloy's first game with Salma, players will be introduced to a few of the more common Machine Strike pieces available. Salma will gift Aloy a couple of Burrowers, Fanghorns, Grazers, Scrappers, and a single Grazer. If players beat her on all levels of her game, she will also gift them a Bristleback. With this small tutorial, players might think that there aren't that many piece types, but they would be mistaken.

Behemoth

Rare

• Type: Large Gunner
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: High
• Skill: Shield - Gains +1 Combat Power when defending against an attack.

Bellowback

Uncommon

• Type: Medium Gunner
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Average
• Skill: Spray - At the start of their turn, every piece within Attack Range will lose -1 hit point

Bristleback

Uncommon

• Type: Small Ram
• Movement: Moderate
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Short
• Health: Low
• Skill: Spray - At the start of their turn, every piece within their Attack Range will lose -1 hit point.

Burrower

Common

• Type: Small Melee
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Short
• Health: Low
• Skill: None

Charger

Uncommon

• Type: Small Dash
• Movement: Moderate
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Low
• Skill: Gallop - When attacking from Grassland terrain, gain +1 Combat Power.

Clamberjaw

Rare

• Type: Medium Melee
• Movement: Moderate
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Short
• Health: Average
• Skill: Stalk - When attacking from Forest terrain, gain +1 Combat Power.

Clawstrider

Uncommon

• Type: Medium Melee
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Average
• Skill: None

Dreadwing

Rare

• Type: Medium Swoop
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Long
• Health: High
• Skill: Whiplash - At the start of each turn, all pieces within Attack Range rotate 180 degrees.

Elemental Clawstrider

Rare

• Type: Medium Gunner
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Average
• Skill: Burn - Attacking a machine on Forest terrain will turn that terrain into Grassland.

Fanghorn

Uncommon

• Type: Small Ram
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Average
• Skill: High Ground - When attacking from Mountain terrain, gain +1 Combat Power.

Fireclaw

Legendary

• Type: Large Melee
• Movement: Moderate
• Attack Power: Strong
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: High
• Skill: Burn - Attacking a machine on Forest terrain will turn that terrain into Grassland.

Frostclaw

Rare

• Type: Medium Melee
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Strong
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: High
• Skill: Freeze - Attacking a machine on Marsh terrain will turn that terrain into Grassland.

Glinthawk

Uncommon

• Type: Small Swoop
• Movement: Moderate
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Long
• Health: Average
• Skill: None

Grazer

Common

• Type: Small Ram
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Short
• Health: Low
• Skill: Gallop - When attacking from Grassland terrain, gain +1 Combat Power.

Lancehorn

Uncommon

• Type: Small Ram
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Average
• Skill: Climb - When attacking from Hill terrain, gain +1 Combat Power.

Leaplasher

Common

• Type: Small Melee
• Movement: Long
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Short
• Health: Low
• Skill: Empower - At the start of each turn, all friendly machines within attack range gain +1 Combat Power.

Longleg

Uncommon

• Type: Medium Gunner
• Movement: Long
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Average
• Skill: Empower - At the start of each turn, all friendly machines within Attack Range gain +1 Attack Power. Effects can stack.

Plowhorn

Uncommon

• Type: Medium Ram
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Average
• Skill: Growth - Attacking a machine on Grassland terrain will turn that terrain into Forest.

Ravager

Uncommon

• Type: Medium Gunner
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: High
• Skill: Sweep - Attacking hits the target and any machines perpendicular to it.

Redeye Watcher

Uncommon

• Type: Small Gunner
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Average
• Skill: Blind - Enemy machines within Attack Range lose -1 Attack Power for the rest of the turn. Effects can stack.

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Rockbreaker

Rare

• Type: Large Gunner
• Movement: Moderate
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: High
• Skill: Alter Terrain - After inflicting damage, the terrain below your machine will lower and the terrain below the opposing machine will raise.

Rollerback

Rare

• Type: Medium Melee
• Movement: Moderate
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Average
• Skill: Retaliate - Rotates towards its Attacker and inflicts one damage if it is in Range.

Scrapper

Common

• Type: Small Gunner
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Average
• Skill: None

Scorcher

Rare

• Type: Medium Dash
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Strong
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: High
• Skill: Burn - Attacking a machine on Forest terrain will turn that terrain into Grassland.

Scrounger

Common

• Type: Small Melee
• Movement: Moderate
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Short
• Health: Average
• Skill: None

Shellsnapper

Rare

• Type: Large Pull
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Long
• Health: High
• Skill: None

Shell-Walker

Uncommon

• Type: Medium Melee
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Short
• Health: Average
• Skill: Shield - Gains +1 Combat Power when defending from an attack.

Skydrifter

Uncommon

• Type: Small Swoop
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Long
• Health: Average
• Skill: None

Slaughterspine

Legendary

• Type: Large Melee
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Strong
• Attack Range: Short
• Health: High
• Skill: Spray - At the start of each turn, all pieces within Attack Range lose -1 Health.

Slitherfang

Rare

• Type: Large Dash
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Strong
• Attack Range: Long
• Health: High
• Skill: Alter Terrain - After inflicting damage, the terrain below this machine will lower and the terrain below the target will raise.

Snapmaw

Uncommon

• Type: Medium Pull
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Long
• Health: Average
• Skill: None

Spikesnout

Common

• Type: Small Melee
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Short
• Health: Average
• Skill: None

Stalker

Rare

• Type: Small Melee
• Movement: Moderate
• Attack Power: Strong
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Average
• Skill: Stalk - When attacking from Forest terrain, gain +1 Combat Power.

Stormbird

Rare

• Type: Large Swoop
• Movement: Moderate
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Long
• Health: High
• Skill: Sweep - Attacking hits the target and any machines perpendicular to it.

Sunwing

Uncommon

• Type: Medium Swoop
• Movement: Moderate
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Average
• Skill: None

Thunderjaw

Rare

• Type: Large Dash
• Movement: Moderate
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: High
• Skill: Sweep - Attacking hits the target and any machines perpendicular to it.

Tideripper

Rare

• Type: Large Pull
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Strong
• Attack Range: Long
• Health: High
• Skill: None

Tracker Burrower

Common

• Type: Small Melee
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Weak
• Attack Range: Short
• Health: Low
• Skill: Alter Terrain - After inflicting damage, the terrain below the machine will lower and the terrain below the target will raise.

Tremortusk

Rare

• Type: Large Dash
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: High
• Skill: Sweep - Attacking hits the target and any machines perpendicular to it.

Widemaw

Uncommon

• Type: Medium Pull
• Movement: Short
• Attack Power: Average
• Attack Range: Average
• Health: Average
• Skill: None

For more Horizon Forbidden West content, be sure to check out How to defeat Tideripper in Horizon Forbidden West? on Pro Game Guides.